What happened to this California family?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great, ya’ll have really cracked the case. The thing I still don’t understand is how they all died of heatstroke when investigators clearly stated the cause of death was not obvious.

U think a sign appears on the body saying "cause of death heat stroke"? They are eliminating other possible factors, most likely. From the internet: "the autopsy findings of heat stroke may be minimal and are non-specific, particularly if the survival interval is short."

Well, yes. There's a reason that they're looking at unusual causes of death. There's something about the bodies that points to that.

The evidence of heat stroke may be minimal but it's not unobvious, especially on a hot day when that would be the most usual cause.

They are looking at unusual causes because there is nothing obvious. Not because there is something unusual.

Hmmm… seems easy enough for investigators to say “this is likely a case of heatstroke although we are ruling out other possibilities due to limited evidence” instead of “we are completely baffled. We have never seen anything like this before.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would bet money that they all died of heat stroke. Dad couldn't sweat b/c of big pack, was exerting himself, and it was 106 degrees with no shade! A human cannot survive if their core temp goes above 106 and there was no way for them to cool down. Babies are like old people, they can't thermo regulate. The baby was trapped in a backpack oven. Bet the dad didn't even realize til he took the pack off that the baby had died. The dog probably stopped moving at some point, at which time the dad sat down.

I’m following thread and this makes the most sense. It explains the positioning of sitting dad, dog at side, mom continuing to scramble up the hill. Dog and Dad (maybe carrying both baby and dig at this point) faltered, dad sat down, only then realizing baby was already dead. Mom freaked and began to run for help. Dog and parents were already near death at that point.

They took a baby in a baby carrier in 106 degree heat? WTF. Dumb people.

That’s what I keep coming back to. The hike made no sense on any level. And the dad had researched it. If it’s heat stroke, it’s not like they came into the hike not knowing the hazards. All of the information they needed about this adventure (the distance, topography, lack of shade, and hourly forecast) was available to them before the hike began.

In order to believe it was heat stroke, it requires us to believe they made SEVERAL significant errors in judgement BEFORE THE HIKE EVEN BEGAN:

-taking baby on a hike on such a hot day and getting such a late start
-choosing a route with no shade
-choosing such a vigorous and involved hike
-not bringing enough water
-not turning back once they realized how hard the whole thing was going to be

These were not stupid people. Not tourists. Not inexperienced hikers. They had to have known what they were getting into. And with a BABY.

I just don’t understand undertaking the hike in the first place.

NP here:
It's not usually that hot in their area. It was an unseasonably warm day. They don't live in a desert, but rather the forested foothills of the Sierra Nevadas.

I honestly think they (1) neglected to check their weather app before going out on the hike and (2) they did not fully comprehend the difficulty, elevation change, and lack of shade on the switchback trail. Their mistakes were borne out of a mix of ignorance and over-confidence.

I mean you make valid points and that would explain it. I think they’d been in a heat wave for awhile though, hadn’t they? I don’t think it was random or sudden.

I think I’m just having trouble understanding the thought process. They worked in tech….they were parents of a young baby. The kind of people who would research these things. Heck, most of my friends don’t even go to a restaurant or buy a $20 item off of Amazon without looking at reviews. How could they have been so reckless as to not have checked the weather and distance (or not to have bailed out soon into the trip)?

If they had checked their weather app that morning, the forecast was partly cloudy with a high of 97 degrees. Above average for the area but not a "heat wave." The discrepancy between the forecasted high and the 103-109 reported by the Sheriff's Dept can be explained by the fact the closest weather reporting station (Mariposa) is normally cooler than the actual location of the hike. In rural California it's very common to not have access to a precise forecast for your exact location. I think far too much blame is being placed on the couple. I suspect the the truth is far closer to what is depicted in the book/movie "The Perfect Storm" where a series of small unfortunate decisions leads to a tragic outcome.

[Anonymous]

Heat stroke really makes the most sense here but I, too, am a bit confused as to why authorities haven’t publicly stated this to be a likely cause of death.

I understand that they can’t definitively state cause of death but, given the extremely high temps, I’m surprised they haven’t issued a statement naming heat stroke as a possible cause and issuing a warning to hikers to be extremely careful hiking in high temps. This seems to be standard practice unless there is a solid reason they don’t believe it to be heat stroke

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would bet money that they all died of heat stroke. Dad couldn't sweat b/c of big pack, was exerting himself, and it was 106 degrees with no shade! A human cannot survive if their core temp goes above 106 and there was no way for them to cool down. Babies are like old people, they can't thermo regulate. The baby was trapped in a backpack oven. Bet the dad didn't even realize til he took the pack off that the baby had died. The dog probably stopped moving at some point, at which time the dad sat down.

I’m following thread and this makes the most sense. It explains the positioning of sitting dad, dog at side, mom continuing to scramble up the hill. Dog and Dad (maybe carrying both baby and dig at this point) faltered, dad sat down, only then realizing baby was already dead. Mom freaked and began to run for help. Dog and parents were already near death at that point.

They took a baby in a baby carrier in 106 degree heat? WTF. Dumb people.

That’s what I keep coming back to. The hike made no sense on any level. And the dad had researched it. If it’s heat stroke, it’s not like they came into the hike not knowing the hazards. All of the information they needed about this adventure (the distance, topography, lack of shade, and hourly forecast) was available to them before the hike began.

In order to believe it was heat stroke, it requires us to believe they made SEVERAL significant errors in judgement BEFORE THE HIKE EVEN BEGAN:

-taking baby on a hike on such a hot day and getting such a late start
-choosing a route with no shade
-choosing such a vigorous and involved hike
-not bringing enough water
-not turning back once they realized how hard the whole thing was going to be

These were not stupid people. Not tourists. Not inexperienced hikers. They had to have known what they were getting into. And with a BABY.

I just don’t understand undertaking the hike in the first place.

NP here:
It's not usually that hot in their area. It was an unseasonably warm day. They don't live in a desert, but rather the forested foothills of the Sierra Nevadas.

I honestly think they (1) neglected to check their weather app before going out on the hike and (2) they did not fully comprehend the difficulty, elevation change, and lack of shade on the switchback trail. Their mistakes were borne out of a mix of ignorance and over-confidence.

I mean you make valid points and that would explain it. I think they’d been in a heat wave for awhile though, hadn’t they? I don’t think it was random or sudden.

I think I’m just having trouble understanding the thought process. They worked in tech….they were parents of a young baby. The kind of people who would research these things. Heck, most of my friends don’t even go to a restaurant or buy a $20 item off of Amazon without looking at reviews. How could they have been so reckless as to not have checked the weather and distance (or not to have bailed out soon into the trip)?

If they had checked their weather app that morning, the forecast was partly cloudy with a high of 97 degrees. Above average for the area but not a "heat wave." The discrepancy between the forecasted high and the 103-109 reported by the Sheriff's Dept can be explained by the fact the closest weather reporting station (Mariposa) is normally cooler than the actual location of the hike. In rural California it's very common to not have access to a precise forecast for your exact location. I think far too much blame is being placed on the couple. I suspect the the truth is far closer to what is depicted in the book/movie "The Perfect Storm" where a series of small unfortunate decisions leads to a tragic outcome.

Why would you take a baby on a hike for multiple hours even if the temperature is *only* expected to reach 97 degrees? That still seems like a terrible idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great, ya’ll have really cracked the case. The thing I still don’t understand is how they all died of heatstroke when investigators clearly stated the cause of death was not obvious.

U think a sign appears on the body saying "cause of death heat stroke"? They are eliminating other possible factors, most likely. From the internet: "the autopsy findings of heat stroke may be minimal and are non-specific, particularly if the survival interval is short."

Well, yes. There's a reason that they're looking at unusual causes of death. There's something about the bodies that points to that.

The evidence of heat stroke may be minimal but it's not unobvious, especially on a hot day when that would be the most usual cause.

They are looking at unusual causes because there is nothing obvious. Not because there is something unusual.

Hmmm… seems easy enough for investigators to say “this is likely a case of heatstroke although we are ruling out other possibilities due to limited evidence” instead of “we are completely baffled. We have never seen anything like this before.”

+1. I agree that this is the strangest part and I think why this case is getting so much attention. In the absence of other contradictory clues I would think authorities would be issuing a statement suggesting heat stroke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would bet money that they all died of heat stroke. Dad couldn't sweat b/c of big pack, was exerting himself, and it was 106 degrees with no shade! A human cannot survive if their core temp goes above 106 and there was no way for them to cool down. Babies are like old people, they can't thermo regulate. The baby was trapped in a backpack oven. Bet the dad didn't even realize til he took the pack off that the baby had died. The dog probably stopped moving at some point, at which time the dad sat down.

I’m following thread and this makes the most sense. It explains the positioning of sitting dad, dog at side, mom continuing to scramble up the hill. Dog and Dad (maybe carrying both baby and dig at this point) faltered, dad sat down, only then realizing baby was already dead. Mom freaked and began to run for help. Dog and parents were already near death at that point.

They took a baby in a baby carrier in 106 degree heat? WTF. Dumb people.

That’s what I keep coming back to. The hike made no sense on any level. And the dad had researched it. If it’s heat stroke, it’s not like they came into the hike not knowing the hazards. All of the information they needed about this adventure (the distance, topography, lack of shade, and hourly forecast) was available to them before the hike began.

In order to believe it was heat stroke, it requires us to believe they made SEVERAL significant errors in judgement BEFORE THE HIKE EVEN BEGAN:

-taking baby on a hike on such a hot day and getting such a late start
-choosing a route with no shade
-choosing such a vigorous and involved hike
-not bringing enough water
-not turning back once they realized how hard the whole thing was going to be

These were not stupid people. Not tourists. Not inexperienced hikers. They had to have known what they were getting into. And with a BABY.

I just don’t understand undertaking the hike in the first place.

NP here:
It's not usually that hot in their area. It was an unseasonably warm day. They don't live in a desert, but rather the forested foothills of the Sierra Nevadas.

I honestly think they (1) neglected to check their weather app before going out on the hike and (2) they did not fully comprehend the difficulty, elevation change, and lack of shade on the switchback trail. Their mistakes were borne out of a mix of ignorance and over-confidence.

I mean you make valid points and that would explain it. I think they’d been in a heat wave for awhile though, hadn’t they? I don’t think it was random or sudden.

I think I’m just having trouble understanding the thought process. They worked in tech….they were parents of a young baby. The kind of people who would research these things. Heck, most of my friends don’t even go to a restaurant or buy a $20 item off of Amazon without looking at reviews. How could they have been so reckless as to not have checked the weather and distance (or not to have bailed out soon into the trip)?

If they had checked their weather app that morning, the forecast was partly cloudy with a high of 97 degrees. Above average for the area but not a "heat wave." The discrepancy between the forecasted high and the 103-109 reported by the Sheriff's Dept can be explained by the fact the closest weather reporting station (Mariposa) is normally cooler than the actual location of the hike. In rural California it's very common to not have access to a precise forecast for your exact location. I think far too much blame is being placed on the couple. I suspect the the truth is far closer to what is depicted in the book/movie "The Perfect Storm" where a series of small unfortunate decisions leads to a tragic outcome.

In what universe is taking an eight-mile hike in that weather with a baby and a dog appropriate? MAYBE walk a mile in and a mile back in the morning, not the whole loop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would bet money that they all died of heat stroke. Dad couldn't sweat b/c of big pack, was exerting himself, and it was 106 degrees with no shade! A human cannot survive if their core temp goes above 106 and there was no way for them to cool down. Babies are like old people, they can't thermo regulate. The baby was trapped in a backpack oven. Bet the dad didn't even realize til he took the pack off that the baby had died. The dog probably stopped moving at some point, at which time the dad sat down.

I’m following thread and this makes the most sense. It explains the positioning of sitting dad, dog at side, mom continuing to scramble up the hill. Dog and Dad (maybe carrying both baby and dig at this point) faltered, dad sat down, only then realizing baby was already dead. Mom freaked and began to run for help. Dog and parents were already near death at that point.

They took a baby in a baby carrier in 106 degree heat? WTF. Dumb people.

That’s what I keep coming back to. The hike made no sense on any level. And the dad had researched it. If it’s heat stroke, it’s not like they came into the hike not knowing the hazards. All of the information they needed about this adventure (the distance, topography, lack of shade, and hourly forecast) was available to them before the hike began.

In order to believe it was heat stroke, it requires us to believe they made SEVERAL significant errors in judgement BEFORE THE HIKE EVEN BEGAN:

-taking baby on a hike on such a hot day and getting such a late start
-choosing a route with no shade
-choosing such a vigorous and involved hike
-not bringing enough water
-not turning back once they realized how hard the whole thing was going to be

These were not stupid people. Not tourists. Not inexperienced hikers. They had to have known what they were getting into. And with a BABY.

I just don’t understand undertaking the hike in the first place.

NP here:
It's not usually that hot in their area. It was an unseasonably warm day. They don't live in a desert, but rather the forested foothills of the Sierra Nevadas.

I honestly think they (1) neglected to check their weather app before going out on the hike and (2) they did not fully comprehend the difficulty, elevation change, and lack of shade on the switchback trail. Their mistakes were borne out of a mix of ignorance and over-confidence.

I mean you make valid points and that would explain it. I think they’d been in a heat wave for awhile though, hadn’t they? I don’t think it was random or sudden.

I think I’m just having trouble understanding the thought process. They worked in tech….they were parents of a young baby. The kind of people who would research these things. Heck, most of my friends don’t even go to a restaurant or buy a $20 item off of Amazon without looking at reviews. How could they have been so reckless as to not have checked the weather and distance (or not to have bailed out soon into the trip)?

If they had checked their weather app that morning, the forecast was partly cloudy with a high of 97 degrees. Above average for the area but not a "heat wave." The discrepancy between the forecasted high and the 103-109 reported by the Sheriff's Dept can be explained by the fact the closest weather reporting station (Mariposa) is normally cooler than the actual location of the hike. In rural California it's very common to not have access to a precise forecast for your exact location. I think far too much blame is being placed on the couple. I suspect the the truth is far closer to what is depicted in the book/movie "The Perfect Storm" where a series of small unfortunate decisions leads to a tragic outcome.

Why would you take a baby on a hike for multiple hours even if the temperature is *only* expected to reach 97 degrees? That still seems like a terrible idea.

For people living in the Sierra foothills this is not unusual behavior at all. It is a different lifestyle from those that choose to live in a city. Something went tragically wrong on this hike but we don't have all the answers yet.

[Anonymous]

I think they were either overconfident and overambitious or they got lost/took the wrong trail and got stuck hiking much longer than anticipated. The amount of water they brought indicates it might be the latter. I do feel for the whole family but especially for the baby. Truly heartbreaking.

I also think it is most likely heat stroke but the fact that this hasn’t been announced as a likely cause of their deaths is suspect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would bet money that they all died of heat stroke. Dad couldn't sweat b/c of big pack, was exerting himself, and it was 106 degrees with no shade! A human cannot survive if their core temp goes above 106 and there was no way for them to cool down. Babies are like old people, they can't thermo regulate. The baby was trapped in a backpack oven. Bet the dad didn't even realize til he took the pack off that the baby had died. The dog probably stopped moving at some point, at which time the dad sat down.

I’m following thread and this makes the most sense. It explains the positioning of sitting dad, dog at side, mom continuing to scramble up the hill. Dog and Dad (maybe carrying both baby and dig at this point) faltered, dad sat down, only then realizing baby was already dead. Mom freaked and began to run for help. Dog and parents were already near death at that point.

They took a baby in a baby carrier in 106 degree heat? WTF. Dumb people.

That’s what I keep coming back to. The hike made no sense on any level. And the dad had researched it. If it’s heat stroke, it’s not like they came into the hike not knowing the hazards. All of the information they needed about this adventure (the distance, topography, lack of shade, and hourly forecast) was available to them before the hike began.

In order to believe it was heat stroke, it requires us to believe they made SEVERAL significant errors in judgement BEFORE THE HIKE EVEN BEGAN:

-taking baby on a hike on such a hot day and getting such a late start
-choosing a route with no shade
-choosing such a vigorous and involved hike
-not bringing enough water
-not turning back once they realized how hard the whole thing was going to be

These were not stupid people. Not tourists. Not inexperienced hikers. They had to have known what they were getting into. And with a BABY.

I just don’t understand undertaking the hike in the first place.

NP here:
It's not usually that hot in their area. It was an unseasonably warm day. They don't live in a desert, but rather the forested foothills of the Sierra Nevadas.

I honestly think they (1) neglected to check their weather app before going out on the hike and (2) they did not fully comprehend the difficulty, elevation change, and lack of shade on the switchback trail. Their mistakes were borne out of a mix of ignorance and over-confidence.

I mean you make valid points and that would explain it. I think they’d been in a heat wave for awhile though, hadn’t they? I don’t think it was random or sudden.

I think I’m just having trouble understanding the thought process. They worked in tech….they were parents of a young baby. The kind of people who would research these things. Heck, most of my friends don’t even go to a restaurant or buy a $20 item off of Amazon without looking at reviews. How could they have been so reckless as to not have checked the weather and distance (or not to have bailed out soon into the trip)?

If they had checked their weather app that morning, the forecast was partly cloudy with a high of 97 degrees. Above average for the area but not a "heat wave." The discrepancy between the forecasted high and the 103-109 reported by the Sheriff's Dept can be explained by the fact the closest weather reporting station (Mariposa) is normally cooler than the actual location of the hike. In rural California it's very common to not have access to a precise forecast for your exact location. I think far too much blame is being placed on the couple. I suspect the the truth is far closer to what is depicted in the book/movie "The Perfect Storm" where a series of small unfortunate decisions leads to a tragic outcome.

Why would you take a baby on a hike for multiple hours even if the temperature is *only* expected to reach 97 degrees? That still seems like a terrible idea.

For people living in the Sierra foothills this is not unusual behavior at all. It is a different lifestyle from those that choose to live in a city. Something went tragically wrong on this hike but we don't have all the answers yet.

Well, then I guess they should probably acknowledge and accept that they are taking a potentially deadly risk. Hope that hike is worth it. What terrible parenting.

[Anonymous]

And to add 97 degrees is pretty normal summer weather in the foothills, not something that would cause a change in plans. Without humidity 97 degrees is not oppressive heat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would bet money that they all died of heat stroke. Dad couldn't sweat b/c of big pack, was exerting himself, and it was 106 degrees with no shade! A human cannot survive if their core temp goes above 106 and there was no way for them to cool down. Babies are like old people, they can't thermo regulate. The baby was trapped in a backpack oven. Bet the dad didn't even realize til he took the pack off that the baby had died. The dog probably stopped moving at some point, at which time the dad sat down.

I’m following thread and this makes the most sense. It explains the positioning of sitting dad, dog at side, mom continuing to scramble up the hill. Dog and Dad (maybe carrying both baby and dig at this point) faltered, dad sat down, only then realizing baby was already dead. Mom freaked and began to run for help. Dog and parents were already near death at that point.

They took a baby in a baby carrier in 106 degree heat? WTF. Dumb people.

That’s what I keep coming back to. The hike made no sense on any level. And the dad had researched it. If it’s heat stroke, it’s not like they came into the hike not knowing the hazards. All of the information they needed about this adventure (the distance, topography, lack of shade, and hourly forecast) was available to them before the hike began.

In order to believe it was heat stroke, it requires us to believe they made SEVERAL significant errors in judgement BEFORE THE HIKE EVEN BEGAN:

-taking baby on a hike on such a hot day and getting such a late start
-choosing a route with no shade
-choosing such a vigorous and involved hike
-not bringing enough water
-not turning back once they realized how hard the whole thing was going to be

These were not stupid people. Not tourists. Not inexperienced hikers. They had to have known what they were getting into. And with a BABY.

I just don’t understand undertaking the hike in the first place.

NP here:
It's not usually that hot in their area. It was an unseasonably warm day. They don't live in a desert, but rather the forested foothills of the Sierra Nevadas.

I honestly think they (1) neglected to check their weather app before going out on the hike and (2) they did not fully comprehend the difficulty, elevation change, and lack of shade on the switchback trail. Their mistakes were borne out of a mix of ignorance and over-confidence.

I mean you make valid points and that would explain it. I think they’d been in a heat wave for awhile though, hadn’t they? I don’t think it was random or sudden.

I think I’m just having trouble understanding the thought process. They worked in tech….they were parents of a young baby. The kind of people who would research these things. Heck, most of my friends don’t even go to a restaurant or buy a $20 item off of Amazon without looking at reviews. How could they have been so reckless as to not have checked the weather and distance (or not to have bailed out soon into the trip)?

If they had checked their weather app that morning, the forecast was partly cloudy with a high of 97 degrees. Above average for the area but not a "heat wave." The discrepancy between the forecasted high and the 103-109 reported by the Sheriff's Dept can be explained by the fact the closest weather reporting station (Mariposa) is normally cooler than the actual location of the hike. In rural California it's very common to not have access to a precise forecast for your exact location. I think far too much blame is being placed on the couple. I suspect the the truth is far closer to what is depicted in the book/movie "The Perfect Storm" where a series of small unfortunate decisions leads to a tragic outcome.

Why would you take a baby on a hike for multiple hours even if the temperature is *only* expected to reach 97 degrees? That still seems like a terrible idea.

For people living in the Sierra foothills this is not unusual behavior at all. It is a different lifestyle from those that choose to live in a city. Something went tragically wrong on this hike but we don't have all the answers yet.

Well, then I guess they should probably acknowledge and accept that they are taking a potentially deadly risk. Hope that hike is worth it. What terrible parenting.

Well you should know sitting in your basement on the east coast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would bet money that they all died of heat stroke. Dad couldn't sweat b/c of big pack, was exerting himself, and it was 106 degrees with no shade! A human cannot survive if their core temp goes above 106 and there was no way for them to cool down. Babies are like old people, they can't thermo regulate. The baby was trapped in a backpack oven. Bet the dad didn't even realize til he took the pack off that the baby had died. The dog probably stopped moving at some point, at which time the dad sat down.

I’m following thread and this makes the most sense. It explains the positioning of sitting dad, dog at side, mom continuing to scramble up the hill. Dog and Dad (maybe carrying both baby and dig at this point) faltered, dad sat down, only then realizing baby was already dead. Mom freaked and began to run for help. Dog and parents were already near death at that point.

They took a baby in a baby carrier in 106 degree heat? WTF. Dumb people.

That’s what I keep coming back to. The hike made no sense on any level. And the dad had researched it. If it’s heat stroke, it’s not like they came into the hike not knowing the hazards. All of the information they needed about this adventure (the distance, topography, lack of shade, and hourly forecast) was available to them before the hike began.

In order to believe it was heat stroke, it requires us to believe they made SEVERAL significant errors in judgement BEFORE THE HIKE EVEN BEGAN:

-taking baby on a hike on such a hot day and getting such a late start
-choosing a route with no shade
-choosing such a vigorous and involved hike
-not bringing enough water
-not turning back once they realized how hard the whole thing was going to be

These were not stupid people. Not tourists. Not inexperienced hikers. They had to have known what they were getting into. And with a BABY.

I just don’t understand undertaking the hike in the first place.

NP here:
It's not usually that hot in their area. It was an unseasonably warm day. They don't live in a desert, but rather the forested foothills of the Sierra Nevadas.

I honestly think they (1) neglected to check their weather app before going out on the hike and (2) they did not fully comprehend the difficulty, elevation change, and lack of shade on the switchback trail. Their mistakes were borne out of a mix of ignorance and over-confidence.

I mean you make valid points and that would explain it. I think they’d been in a heat wave for awhile though, hadn’t they? I don’t think it was random or sudden.

I think I’m just having trouble understanding the thought process. They worked in tech….they were parents of a young baby. The kind of people who would research these things. Heck, most of my friends don’t even go to a restaurant or buy a $20 item off of Amazon without looking at reviews. How could they have been so reckless as to not have checked the weather and distance (or not to have bailed out soon into the trip)?

If they had checked their weather app that morning, the forecast was partly cloudy with a high of 97 degrees. Above average for the area but not a "heat wave." The discrepancy between the forecasted high and the 103-109 reported by the Sheriff's Dept can be explained by the fact the closest weather reporting station (Mariposa) is normally cooler than the actual location of the hike. In rural California it's very common to not have access to a precise forecast for your exact location. I think far too much blame is being placed on the couple. I suspect the the truth is far closer to what is depicted in the book/movie "The Perfect Storm" where a series of small unfortunate decisions leads to a tragic outcome.

Why would you take a baby on a hike for multiple hours even if the temperature is *only* expected to reach 97 degrees? That still seems like a terrible idea.

For people living in the Sierra foothills this is not unusual behavior at all. It is a different lifestyle from those that choose to live in a city. Something went tragically wrong on this hike but we don't have all the answers yet.

Well, then I guess they should probably acknowledge and accept that they are taking a potentially deadly risk. Hope that hike is worth it. What terrible parenting.

Well you should know sitting in your basement on the east coast.

Why would I be in my basement? I’m in my den.

But if you think what they did sounds like a good idea, you should do it too. I’m not here to hold you back. One thing - If you could refrain from taking a baby and dog with you, that would be nice. The baby and dog had no control over what happened to them; it’s not fair to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would bet money that they all died of heat stroke. Dad couldn't sweat b/c of big pack, was exerting himself, and it was 106 degrees with no shade! A human cannot survive if their core temp goes above 106 and there was no way for them to cool down. Babies are like old people, they can't thermo regulate. The baby was trapped in a backpack oven. Bet the dad didn't even realize til he took the pack off that the baby had died. The dog probably stopped moving at some point, at which time the dad sat down.

I’m following thread and this makes the most sense. It explains the positioning of sitting dad, dog at side, mom continuing to scramble up the hill. Dog and Dad (maybe carrying both baby and dig at this point) faltered, dad sat down, only then realizing baby was already dead. Mom freaked and began to run for help. Dog and parents were already near death at that point.

They took a baby in a baby carrier in 106 degree heat? WTF. Dumb people.

I don't think it was they took the baby out in that kind of heat so much as they didn't get back in time to avoid that kind of heat.

+1. It sounds like they miscalculated the length of the hike and the actual temperature.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would bet money that they all died of heat stroke. Dad couldn't sweat b/c of big pack, was exerting himself, and it was 106 degrees with no shade! A human cannot survive if their core temp goes above 106 and there was no way for them to cool down. Babies are like old people, they can't thermo regulate. The baby was trapped in a backpack oven. Bet the dad didn't even realize til he took the pack off that the baby had died. The dog probably stopped moving at some point, at which time the dad sat down.

I’m following thread and this makes the most sense. It explains the positioning of sitting dad, dog at side, mom continuing to scramble up the hill. Dog and Dad (maybe carrying both baby and dig at this point) faltered, dad sat down, only then realizing baby was already dead. Mom freaked and began to run for help. Dog and parents were already near death at that point.

They took a baby in a baby carrier in 106 degree heat? WTF. Dumb people.

I don't think it was they took the baby out in that kind of heat so much as they didn't get back in time to avoid that kind of heat.

+1. It sounds like they miscalculated the length of the hike and the actual temperature.

...And they closed the forest due to a miscalculation?

They closed the forest due to hazards that killed the family. Not because of the family's decision-making or because of anonymous critiques of their decision-making.

[Anonymous]

There could be many things that went wrong.

1. They underestimated what time the temperatures would rise. In these areas it usually gets chilly at night. It’s not like DC where if it’s in the 90s during the day it’s in the 80s because of the humidity in the morning. If humidity was higher than normal the day before then it wouldn’t have been as cool in the morning. It would have been cool enough to hike but the temps would have risen quickly.

2. The couple was experienced but they had a baby. They probably had not done strenuous high heat hikes carrying a lot of stuff in the past year. They underestimated the load from the baby, baby gear etc on a very long hike.

3, They overestimated how fast they could go. The baby and dog slowed them down. They took more breaks for the dog and baby and didn’t realize how much time this added to their hike. They were too far when they realized the temps were too hot.